Phys.org news tagged with:semiconductor materialshttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Researchers develop ultrahigh-resolution 3D microscopy technique for electric fieldsUsing a single molecule as a sensor, scientists in Jülich have successfully imaged electric potential fields with unrivalled precision. The ultrahigh-resolution images provide information on the distribution of charges in the electron shells of single molecules and even atoms. The 3D technique is also contact-free. The first results achieved using "scanning quantum dot microscopy" have been published in the current issue of Physical Review Letters. The related publication was chosen as the Editor's suggestion and selected as a Viewpoint in the science portal Physics. The technique is relevant for diverse scientific fields including investigations into biomolecules and semiconductor materials.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-ultrahigh-resolution-3d-microscopy-technique-electric.html
Nanophysics Tue, 07 Jul 2015 09:30:48 EDTnews355480241Quantum-dot spectrometer is small enough to function within a smartphoneInstruments that measure the properties of light, known as spectrometers, are widely used in physical, chemical, and biological research. These devices are usually too large to be portable, but MIT scientists have now shown they can create spectrometers small enough to fit inside a smartphone camera, using tiny semiconductor nanoparticles called quantum dots.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-quantum-dot-spectrometer-small-function-smartphone.html
Nanophysics Thu, 02 Jul 2015 03:09:50 EDTnews355025374Influential interfaces lead to advances in organic spintronicsSpintronics is an emerging field of electronics in which devices work by manipulating the quantum mechanical spin of electrons, in addition to their elementary electric charge. Just as conventional transistors have a source of electrons, a gate to control their movement, and a drain to carry off the charge signal, a spintronic circuit needs a well-controlled source of spin-polarized electrons that are injected into a transport channel material, a well-defined method of controlling the spin through the material, and a system to detect the spin signal. Additionally, it requires a transport channel material with long spin lifetimes because (polarized) spins fade away (i.e., become randomized) and lose their information during transport, unlike electric charges.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-influential-interfaces-advances-spintronics.html
General Physics Wed, 01 Jul 2015 09:46:21 EDTnews354962773Researchers introduce new layered semiconducting materials as silicon alternativeWhen the new iPhone came out, customers complained that it could be bent—but what if you could roll up your too big 6 Plus to actually fit in your pocket? That technology might be available sooner than you think, based on the work of USC Viterbi engineers.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-layered-semiconducting-materials-silicon-alternative.html
Materials Science Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:55:42 EDTnews354556527Building a better semiconductorResearch led by Michigan State University could someday lead to the development of new and improved semiconductors.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-semiconductor.html
Condensed Matter Fri, 26 Jun 2015 16:51:49 EDTnews354556284New way to cool micro-electronic devices(Phys.org)—A team of researchers working at the University of Grenoble has developed a new way to cool solids at the micro level. In their paper published in Physical Review Letters, the team describes how they used laser light to remove vibrational heat from a semiconductor material.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-cool-micro-electronic-devices.html
General Physics Mon, 18 May 2015 08:50:02 EDTnews351152757Researchers observe new charge transport phenomenonResearchers of Aalto University in Finland and the German University of Marburg have collaborated in the study of the movement of charges over interfaces of semiconductor materials. The group noticed a new kind of transport phenomenon for charges. In the phenomenon, a pair formed by a negative electron and a positive charge moves onto an interface, after which its 'message' is passed on to the other side of the interface, where it is carried on by a similar pair. The new theoretical result opens up interesting prospects for carrying out logical operations in electronics.http://phys.org/news/2015-04-phenomenon.html
General Physics Thu, 02 Apr 2015 09:54:55 EDTnews347187287Semiconductor miniaturisation with 2D nanolatticesA European research project has made an important step towards the further miniaturisation of nanoelectronics, using a highly-promising new material called silicene. Its goal: to make devices of the future vastly more powerful and energy efficient.http://phys.org/news/2015-02-semiconductor-miniaturisation-2d-nanolattices.html
Nanomaterials Thu, 26 Feb 2015 09:44:47 EDTnews344166276New nanowire structure absorbs light efficientlyResearchers at Aalto University have developed a new method to implement different types of nanowires side-by-side into a single array on a single substrate. The new technique makes it possible to use different semiconductor materials for the different types of nanowires.http://phys.org/news/2015-02-nanowire-absorbs-efficiently.html
Nanophysics Wed, 25 Feb 2015 09:23:33 EDTnews344078605Beyond silicon: New semiconductor moves spintronics toward realityA new semiconductor compound is bringing fresh momentum to the field of spintronics, an emerging breed of computing device that may lead to smaller, faster, less power-hungry electronics.http://phys.org/news/2015-02-silicon-semiconductor-spintronics-reality.html
General Physics Thu, 19 Feb 2015 08:51:09 EDTnews343558263Researchers develop new technique for making graphene competitor molybdenum disulfideGraphene, a single-atom-thick lattice of carbon atoms, is often touted as a replacement for silicon in electronic devices due to its extremely high conductivity and unbeatable thinness. But graphene is not the only two-dimensional material that could play such a role.http://phys.org/news/2015-02-technique-graphene-competitor-molybdenum-disulfide.html
Nanomaterials Tue, 17 Feb 2015 06:50:02 EDTnews343375927Rice-sized laser, powered one electron at a time, bodes well for quantum computingPrinceton University researchers have built a rice grain-sized laser powered by single electrons tunneling through artificial atoms known as quantum dots. The tiny microwave laser, or "maser," is a demonstration of the fundamental interactions between light and moving electrons.http://phys.org/news/2015-01-rice-sized-laser-powered-electron-bodes.html
Optics & Photonics Thu, 15 Jan 2015 14:51:40 EDTnews340555887Stacking two-dimensional materials may lower cost of semiconductor devicesA team of researchers led by North Carolina State University has found that stacking materials that are only one atom thick can create semiconductor junctions that transfer charge efficiently, regardless of whether the crystalline structure of the materials is mismatched - lowering the manufacturing cost for a wide variety of semiconductor devices such as solar cells, lasers and LEDs.http://phys.org/news/2014-12-stacking-two-dimensional-materials-semiconductor-devices.html
Nanophysics Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:41:27 EDTnews337524072Researchers capture microimages of micropillar P/N junctions on a semiconductorBy equipping a semiconductor, with which you can convert sunlight into electricity, with micropillars, you can increase the surface and efficiency. Creating a so-called P/N junction in these micropillars, which follows the 3D structure of the surface, is essential in this to be able to properly separate the positive and negative charge in the structure. Scientists of the UT research institute MESA+ have for the very first time succeeded in accurately visualizing these P/N junctions in semiconductors in 3D. They created a semiconductor with a million minuscule micropillars per square centimetre and succeeded in accurately portraying the P/N junction with an electron microscope. The research has been published in the prominent scientific journal Advanced Energy Materials.http://phys.org/news/2014-12-capture-microimages-micropillar-pn-junctions.html
Materials Science Wed, 10 Dec 2014 08:45:19 EDTnews337423509Efficient catalytic system for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to hydrocarbonsHydrocarbons continue to be our primary source of energy. However, they do not necessarily have to come from fossil sources. Why not reverse the combustion process to make the hydrocarbons from CO2? This could be achieved by means of a solar-power-driven process if suitable catalysts were available. Researchers from Japan and China have now introduced a new, particularly efficient photocatalytic system in the journal Angewandte Chemie. It may bring us a step closer to CO2-neutral fuels.http://phys.org/news/2014-12-efficient-catalytic-photocatalytic-reduction-co2.html
Materials Science Fri, 05 Dec 2014 07:52:40 EDTnews336988345Thin, strong bond for vacuum sealAn ultra-stable, ultra-thin bonding technology has been adapted by researchers in PML's Semiconductor and Dimensional Metrology Division for use as a super-strong vacuum seal.http://phys.org/news/2014-12-thin-strong-bond-vacuum.html
Engineering Wed, 03 Dec 2014 09:22:14 EDTnews336820887Extreme materials and ubiquitous electronicsNearly everyone seems to carry a cell phone or tablet. But if Tomás Palacios' vision of the future of electronics comes to bear, it will be increasingly difficult to separate electronics from all the other structures and materials surrounding us. An electrical engineer by training, Palacios, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, develops new materials to bring electronic devices to the next level and beyond. "We are always trying to mix materials, engineering, and physics to create a prototype device that can get people excited about new applications and opportunities," he says.http://phys.org/news/2014-12-extreme-materials-ubiquitous-electronics.html
Materials Science Wed, 03 Dec 2014 07:10:01 EDTnews336811515New mechanism discovered to convert light into electricity: The 'plasmoelectric effect'Researchers from FOM Institute AMOLF and the California Institute of Technology have discovered a new method for the generation of electrical potentials using light. With the help of minutely sculpted metal nanocircuits they could effectively capture light and convert it into an electrical potential of 100 millivolt. The research results are published on 30 October in the journal Science.http://phys.org/news/2014-10-electrical-energy.html
Nanophysics Thu, 30 Oct 2014 17:22:53 EDTnews333908565New electric vehicle technology packs more punch in smaller packageUsing 3-D printing and novel semiconductors, researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a power inverter that could make electric vehicles lighter, more powerful and more efficient.http://phys.org/news/2014-10-electric-vehicle-technology-smaller-package.html
Energy & Green Tech Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:42:24 EDTnews332516528New technology may lead to prolonged power in mobile devicesResearchers from The University of Texas at Dallas have created technology that could be the first step toward wearable computers with self-contained power sources or, more immediately, a smartphone that doesn't die after a few hours of heavy use.http://phys.org/news/2014-09-technology-prolonged-power-mobile-devices.html
Nanophysics Fri, 26 Sep 2014 08:00:01 EDTnews330934558Enabling bendable optoelectronics devices: Gallium nitride micro-rods grown on graphene substrates"Bendy" light-emitting diode (LED) displays and solar cells crafted with inorganic compound semiconductor micro-rods are moving one step closer to reality, thanks to graphene and the work of a team of researchers in Korea.http://phys.org/news/2014-09-enabling-bendable-optoelectronics-devices-gallium.html
Nanomaterials Tue, 23 Sep 2014 11:00:01 EDTnews330686227Germanium tin could mean better and cheaper infrared cameras in smartphonesEngineering researchers at the University of Arkansas have fabricated a new semiconductor material—germanium tin deposited in layers on a substrate of silicon—that could be used to build better and less expensive infrared cameras for smartphones and vehicles.http://phys.org/news/2014-09-germanium-tin-cheaper-infrared-cameras.html
Optics & Photonics Fri, 19 Sep 2014 08:40:01 EDTnews330333316A new, tunable device for spintronicsRecently, the research group of Professor Jairo Sinova from the Institute of Physics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in collaboration with researchers from the UK, Prague, and Japan, has for the first time realised a new, efficient spin-charge converter based on the common semiconductor material GaAs. These results have recently been published in the journal Nature Materials.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-tunable-device-spintronics.html
Condensed Matter Thu, 28 Aug 2014 14:22:54 EDTnews328454560Scientists craft atomically seamless, thinnest-possible semiconductor junctionsScientists have developed what they believe is the thinnest-possible semiconductor, a new class of nanoscale materials made in sheets only three atoms thick.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-scientists-craft-atomically-seamless-thinnest-possible.html
Nanophysics Tue, 26 Aug 2014 16:03:01 EDTnews328287769Guidelines for enhancing solar cells using surface plasmon polaritons(Phys.org) —Researchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) have established guidelines for using surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) to improve absorption in both photovoltaic or photoelectrochemical cells used for energy conversion. In both types of photocells, SPPs (electromagnetic waves that travel along a metal-semiconductor interface) have the potential to increase the amount of light absorbed in the active material layer, improving the overall efficiency of light collection in solar energy devices.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-guidelines-solar-cells-surface-plasmon.html
General Physics Mon, 18 Aug 2014 23:40:01 EDTnews327574268An inkjet-printed field-effect transistor for label-free biosensingThin-film transistors (TFTs) are powerful devices in semiconductor manufacturing and form the basis of countless electronic devices, such as memory chips, photovoltaic cells, logic gates, and sensors. An interesting alternative to inorganic TFTs (silicon) is organic TFTs (OTFTs), which offer the possibility of mass production by using the conventional printing technology and working with low-cost materials. However, numerous inherent problems still remain, especially concerning the long-term stability and lack of reliability.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-inkjet-printed-field-effect-transistor-label-free-biosensing.html
Nanophysics Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:50:02 EDTnews326965007Pairing old technologies with new for next generation electronic devicesUCL scientists have discovered a new method to efficiently generate and control currents based on the magnetic nature of electrons in semi-conducting materials, offering a radical way to develop a new generation of electronic devices.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-pairing-technologies-electronic-devices.html
General Physics Sun, 10 Aug 2014 13:00:04 EDTnews326824856Toward ultimate light efficiency on the cheap(Phys.org) —Researchers at the University of Michigan have taken a major stride toward perfectly efficient lighting that is also relatively inexpensive and simple to make. The same material can also reveal the presence of water by changing color.http://phys.org/news/2014-07-ultimate-efficiency-cheap.html
General Physics Wed, 16 Jul 2014 07:50:02 EDTnews324714449Two-dimensional sheets of electronic materials show promise for practical nanoelectronicsTwo-dimensional sheets of electronic materials, such as graphene, show promise for practical nanoelectronics applications, including transparent electronic circuits used in electronic displays. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is of particular interest because, unlike metallic graphene, it is semiconducting, like silicon—the semiconductor that underpins today's computer technology.http://phys.org/news/2014-07-two-dimensional-sheets-electronic-materials-nanoelectronics.html
Nanomaterials Wed, 02 Jul 2014 09:20:02 EDTnews323506439Metal particles in solids aren't as fixed as they seem, memristor study showsIn work that unmasks some of the magic behind memristors and "resistive random access memory," or RRAM—cutting-edge computer components that combine logic and memory functions—researchers have shown that the metal particles in memristors don't stay put as previously thought.http://phys.org/news/2014-06-metal-particles-solids-memristor.html
Nanophysics Tue, 24 Jun 2014 12:02:53 EDTnews322830164